A Future in Science?
Medicine
GCSEs
(Grade 7+)
A-Levels in
Bio and
Chem
(Grade A+)
Degree in
Medicine
(5-7 years)
Specialisation
(GP, surgery,
psychiatry,
paediatrics)
Potential Careers
General practitioner, surgeon, psychiatrist, anaesthesiologist, neurologist, paediatrician.
Information
A career in medicine can be very rewarding. It may appeal to you because:
• you can make a real difference to people’s lives by helping to alleviate pain and suffering • it’s a highly respected profession
• there’s a wide choice of careers – in fact there are over 60 specialties and there are opportunities to get involved with teaching, research and management
• the day-to-day work can be very varied and you will face all kinds of practical and intellectual challenges • doctors will always be in demand
Example Salary
Health Care
GCSEs
(Eng, Maths,
Bio)
A-Levels in
Science and
Social
Sciences
(e.g. Bio and
Psychology)
Degree in
Nursing
(3-4 years)
Specialisation
(Midwifery,
paediatrics,
critical care,
psychiatrics)
Potential Careers
Nurse, midwife, physiotherapist, nutritionist, psychologist.
Information
• No day is ever the same when you are a nurse. As a degree-trained medical expert you’ll play a crucial role in the health and wellbeing of patients. Working as part of a supportive and inspiring multi-disciplinary team alongside doctors and other healthcare professionals you’ll deliver treatment and care for patients in a variety of medical settings.
• Nurses are life savers whose work touches lives at times of basic human need when care and compassion are what matter most.
• Health care offers intellectually challenging work including performance of some medical procedures, advancing medical innovation and care to improve the lives of patients, clinical research and education, and developing treatment plans for patients
Example Salary
Veterinarian
GCSEs
(Eng, Maths,
Bio)
A-Levels in
Bio and
Chem
(Grade B+)
Degree in
Veterinary
Science
(4-5 years)
Specialisation
(Surgery,
dentistry,
agriculture,
animal
behaviour)
Potential Careers
Private practice, animal welfare, animal pathology, farm animal health.
Information
Veterinary medicine is one of the most popular and rewarding career options for animal lovers:
• Helping Animals – relieving the suffering of animals that have experienced traumatic injuries or chronic illnesses.
• Interesting Work - no two days are alike for a veterinarian, you never know what will come through the clinic door on any given day.
• Community Interaction
• Lifetime Learning - veterinarians never stop learning new things and developing their practice.
• Animal Dream Job - veterinary medicine is by far the most popular dream job for animal lovers. If you have the drive, the grades, and the desire to work with animals, veterinary medicine may be the perfect job for you.
Example Salary
Education
GCSEs
(Eng, maths,
sciences)
A-Levels in
Sciences
Degree in
Scientific
Field
(3 years)
Teaching
Qualification
(Primary,
secondary,
further
education)
Potential Careers
Science teacher, lecturer
Information
• People find different reasons and rewards for becoming teachers, but it remains a great option for someone with a degree in science and who wants to use this degree for an honourable cause.
• Someone might teach because they find fulfilment in sharing their knowledge of a subject to an eager new audience. They might teach because they love the interaction with students, and they like to see the signs of understanding that appear on a student’s face.
• The holiday time for teachers and lecturers is also excellent.
Example Salary
Engineering
GCSEs
(Maths,
Chem, Phys)
A-Levels in
Maths and
Physics
(Grade B+)
Degree in
Engineering
(3-6 years)
Specialisation
(Civil,
aeronautical,
electrical)
Potential Careers
Civil engineer, product design, electrical engineering, aeronautical engineering, armed forces.
Information
Engineering is a broad field that offers exciting career opportunities where you’ll get to be creative, solve problems and explore how things work every day:
• Employability – engineers are constantly in high demand, meaning you’ll be sought after by a variety of employers and industries.
• International opportunities - an opportunity to explore the world, working on sites, mines and helping to develop city infrastructures..
• Improve the world – you will be using your skills and expertise to contribute to society. You will be solving everyday problems and challenges to help improve our way of life, whether that is through a new piece of technology or construction of a bridge.
Example Salary
Biomedical Science
GCSEs
(Sciences)
A-Levels in
Bio and Chem
(Grade B+)
Degree in
Pharmacology
(3-4 years)
Specialisation
(Toxicology,
medicinal
chemistry,
biotechnology)
Potential Careers
Pharmacist, drug developer and designer, virologist
Information
• Biomedical science is a relatively young field in medical science, with plenty of room for growth, expansion and innovation. It is an incredibly exciting area to work in and can be a worthwhile specialty for professionals
looking to expand their own skill set, or try their hands at something new.
• Working in biomedical science will see you combine skills and knowledge in biology and medicine and focus on both human and animal health. Specialising in this area will involve working on biochemical and physiological functions, anatomical and histological structures, epidemiology, and pharmacology.
• A large part of biomedical science is learning how to maintain and encourage health, with many candidates having a sound knowledge in several areas of medicine, such as nutrition, diseases, and immunology.
Example Salary
Chemical Engineering
GCSEs (Sciences) A-Levels in Bio and Chem (Grade B+) Degree in Chemical Engineering (3-4 years) Specialisation (Food science, environmental, materials)Potential Careers
Food chemist, technology researcher and developer, environmental engineer, materials analyst.
Information
• Chemical Engineers are at the forefront of scientific and technological developments. They design, construct and operate processes to create products that we all depend on and are often tackling some of the world’s most urgent problems.
• Chemical engineering is all about turning raw materials into everyday products. The food and drink we
consume, the energy we use, and the medicines we take, all depend on technical know-how and ingenuity of chemical engineers. Our graduates oversee the safe manufacture of these products, all whilst managing resources and protecting the environment.
• Chemical Engineering draws on a wide variety of skills and knowledge. In fact the problem-solving and
numeracy skills of chemical engineers are highly sought after by employers and help to explain why chemical engineers top the scales of all the major engineering professions.
Example Salary
Forensic Science
GCSEs
(Sciences)
A-Levels in
Bio and
Chem
Degree in
Forensic
Science
(3-4 years)
Specialisation
(Pathology,
toxicology,
engineering)
Potential Careers
Forensic pathologist, forensic engineer, forensic toxicologist, police
Information
Forensic scientists help to keep the wheels of justice turning by using their scientific mind and qualifications to solve crime.
• Contributing to police investigations by collecting, preserving and analysing scientific evidence, the work of forensic scientists is essential as the reliability of other crime-solving methods such as eyewitness testimony and confession evidence is often dependent on the use of forensics.
• With cyber and financial crime on the rise, forensic science will become even more important to the UK justice system.
• You will hone your critical thinking and problem-solving ability as well as develop a wealth of techniques to allow you to analyse different forms of evidence from fingerprints to blood spatter, chemicals and drug traces, gunshot wounds and ballistics to the evidence left behind on bones or body parts.
Example Salary
Non-Degree Jobs
Potential Careers
Laboratory assistant, laboratory technician, firefighters, police, armed forces.
Information
• There are many non-degree routes into a career involving science, and good science GCSEs and A-levels always appeal to employers.
• The role of laboratory assistant can vary greatly and some placements will require experienced graduates. A successful laboratory assistant shows a real passion for science, a desire to learn and an ability to follow instructions to the letter. You will usually be preparing equipment, setting up experiments, assisting the researchers and cleaning equipment afterwards. Some people choose a career as a lab assistant and some see it as a stepping stone to a research career that will probably require further studying.
• A technician is someone trained to use specific pieces of equipment or software. Technicians are on hand to assist scientists in using the equipment and may be responsible for performing processes themselves. If you have a knack for picking up how machines work and have the focus to become an expert, this may be the role for you.
